I have a 2006 Hunter 44cc with the original Raymarine C80 chartplotter, GPS, radar, and autopilot. I am looking for recommendations or resources to determine the best replacement strategy to bring it up to current technology.
REPLACING OLD CHARTPLOTTER/GPS/AUTOPILOT/RADAR
- Thread starter John6212
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Ray/Garmin/B&G are all good its boils down to what you want to save from the current setup. Just a note.. who is local that can supply the items and help/service if there's a problem as any new systems some problems will come up. All new systems will require running new cable for N2K just remember to pull the old stuff out or use it as a mouse line for the new cable. Price to replace all could be in the 13k+ range and you may get a deal if you ask.
I have a 2007 H41AC. When we bought it, it had mostly Raymarine equipment - ST60+ Wind, Depth and Speed, S3 Course Computer with ST7002 control head, RayDome RD418D radar and RS125 GPS all connected to an E80 chart plotter. Also present were an Em-Trak AIS receiver and an Icom VHF radio.
Just recently, I upgraded the chart plotter to a Raymarine Axiom+ 12 and put in a SeaTalkNG backbone. Fortunately, the radar works perfectly with the Axiom+ over the existing SeaTalkHS (Ethernet) cabling and all the other Raymarine instruments happily talk to the Axiom+ via a SeaTalk1-to-SeaTalkNG converter.
I had previously upgraded the AIS receiver to an Em-Trak B951 AIS transceiver. The old AIS receiver talked to the E80 over high speed NMEA 0183 cabling which the Axiom+ doesn't handle. Fortunately, the new Em-Trak B951 AIS transceiver has both NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000 outputs so it was easy to connect the AIS transceiver to the Axiom+ via the SeaTalkNG network (electrically identical to NMEA 2000).
I have an RS130 GPS unit on hand which I plan to install in place of the RS125. The main difference is that the RS130 (which I bought used on eBay) has a SeaTalkNG interface rather than SeaTalk1. The Axiom+ has an internal GPS, too, so I can select which GPS source is the preferred source.
Although the Icom VHF radio only has a (low speed) NMEA 0183 interface (for getting GPS position data), the S3 Course Computer bridges GPS data from its SeaTalk1 interface to its NMEA 0183 interface.
My point in relating this rather longish story is to emphasize that one needn't upgrade everything at once. My system is working quite well with only the chart plotter and AIS upgraded. Over time, I can replace some of the other instruments with more modern ones with either SeaTalkNG or NMEA 2000 interfaces. If the radar needs to be upgraded, it will likely still communicate with the chart plotter over Ethernet and a new VHF radio with NMEA 2000 or SeaTalkNG interface can be dropped in with relative ease at any time.
Here is a link to a post I made a while back showing the new Axiom+ chart plotter installed. I was able to fit it in the NavPod that had housed the E80.
E80 Upgrade to Axiom+ 12
Just recently, I upgraded the chart plotter to a Raymarine Axiom+ 12 and put in a SeaTalkNG backbone. Fortunately, the radar works perfectly with the Axiom+ over the existing SeaTalkHS (Ethernet) cabling and all the other Raymarine instruments happily talk to the Axiom+ via a SeaTalk1-to-SeaTalkNG converter.
I had previously upgraded the AIS receiver to an Em-Trak B951 AIS transceiver. The old AIS receiver talked to the E80 over high speed NMEA 0183 cabling which the Axiom+ doesn't handle. Fortunately, the new Em-Trak B951 AIS transceiver has both NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000 outputs so it was easy to connect the AIS transceiver to the Axiom+ via the SeaTalkNG network (electrically identical to NMEA 2000).
I have an RS130 GPS unit on hand which I plan to install in place of the RS125. The main difference is that the RS130 (which I bought used on eBay) has a SeaTalkNG interface rather than SeaTalk1. The Axiom+ has an internal GPS, too, so I can select which GPS source is the preferred source.
Although the Icom VHF radio only has a (low speed) NMEA 0183 interface (for getting GPS position data), the S3 Course Computer bridges GPS data from its SeaTalk1 interface to its NMEA 0183 interface.
My point in relating this rather longish story is to emphasize that one needn't upgrade everything at once. My system is working quite well with only the chart plotter and AIS upgraded. Over time, I can replace some of the other instruments with more modern ones with either SeaTalkNG or NMEA 2000 interfaces. If the radar needs to be upgraded, it will likely still communicate with the chart plotter over Ethernet and a new VHF radio with NMEA 2000 or SeaTalkNG interface can be dropped in with relative ease at any time.
Here is a link to a post I made a while back showing the new Axiom+ chart plotter installed. I was able to fit it in the NavPod that had housed the E80.
E80 Upgrade to Axiom+ 12
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As does the Em-Trak B951 AIS transceiver. So you should have a choice of 2 external GPS rxers offered to you somewhere in your menus.
Hi - sorry this is a question on a dated posting. I have a 2006 H41ac w Raymarine E120, E80, radar, ST60’s, & ST-7001 autopilot. Can you yell me what network they are using? NMEA183? I am having no luck figuring this out - boat new to me and I’d like to upgrade. Thanks for any help.
I went with B&G Vulcan 9 chart platter, BG Halo 20 radar, B&G wired wind, Airmar DST, B&G V60b VHF with AIS. I did the installs myself, they are all plug and play. I left the existing Raymarine autopilot. This summer I hope to get the Autopilot connected to the network so I can use the wind features of the autopilot. Except for the radar, they all share a common NMEA network backbone. Much better than the original rats nest of wires. On a 44' boat I would be careful trying a wireless wind instrument, it may not have the range from a big mast. This forum as well as google and the B&G website were great sources
Your system is using Seatalk (original) - Raymarine’s proprietary network. The new SeatalkNG is Raymarine’s implementation of NMEA2000 with Raymarine’s proprietary connectors. Raymarine sells adapters to convert so you can interface mixed devices using those three communication standards.
Been there - got the arrows in my back. They will share data to each other but might not play nicely. It‘s a long story but my best advice is don’t bother interfacing the Raymarine AP course computer to any other vendor’s CP. In my system (B&G Vulcan CP with Raymarine course computer) it introduced gremlins in the wind instruments (which cleared up when I disconnected the B&G NMEA2k from the Raymarine). Also the control logic was flawed resulting in some rather abrupt course changes when any crosstrack error was present when trying to follow a course on the CP. Don’t even think of calling either company with questions about trying to make them work together. The minute you say you’re trying to get it to work with another vendor’s equipment the tech support call will go nowhere and they will politely decline to put any time/effort into supporting you.
There are KEY Safety factors in a Raymarine network.
1) FAIL SAFE if Autopilot loses any input information.[means instant change to manual steering]
2) HACK proof by other signals, basically a VPN on your boat
3) Wireless instruments cannot be Hacked.
I am not sure a about mixing Protocols Using NEMA2k.
Jim...
Thanks for the heads up - I'll leave them separate (unless I get really bored I already have the adapter). I've already had the Raymarine do some random "Crazy Ivans" maybe that was the fail safe kicking in.
The "Crazy Ivans" might be setup issues. Make sure you have input a value for each Raymarine AP setup step. Go through the wizard. Null is not the same as zero. It might act randomly to a null value.
No!
"Crazy Ivan" is caused by a lot metal near by your Flux Compass.
Happens to me when pass near Concrete Pilings full of R-Bar.
Jim...
Or if you incorrectly lay the course computer in a horizontal position vice a vertical position like the manual emphasizes.
This is very helpful! I have a similar setup with a Radome 2kw model (2005 don’t know product number). Raymarine says the analog Radars are not compatible with the Axiom displays, did you have to do anything else to make the radar work other than the converter? Thanks
I have a 2005 beneteau that had all original raymarine electronics. I’m slowly replacing. Started with the chart plotter and radar with Garmin. Also added the AIS so they all play together. Auto pilot, speed and wind all work fine so I’ll slowly move. But all new stuff is connected NMEA2k and I will build as I upgrade. Speed, wind and depth will be next.
Same 2006 Beneteau. C80 is fading and Raystar 125 receiver gives wrong date. Scanner only lightly used so i wish i could keep it. Did you have to rewire for the radar or were your u able to use existing (raymarine) wires. My scanner is on the mast and rerunning wires will be a headache Any reason you went with Garmin?